THE first race of the new British 125GP Championship season will now take place on Sunday after the opening weekend of the campaign ended in anti-climax.

Haslingden’s Tom Carne and Worsthorne’s Harry Hartley were starting their second season in the series, with East Lancashire’s FPW Racing and Team Colin Appleyard/ Macadam Racing also in action at the first race weekend at Brands Hatch.

But wet weather led to a number of accidents in other races on Easter Monday, leaving petrol on the track, and officials decided to cancel the race at the Kent circuit.

Riders will now return to the track for the second round of the series at Thruxton this weekend.

The postponement of the first race, though, came after some encouraging performances in qualifying.

Carne, 18, took an impressive eighth with Team Repli-Cast and Hartley, 15, qualified 14th.

FPW Racing’s Luke Hedger secured a spot on the front row of the grid, in fourth, while Appleyard/Macadam’s Ryan Watson was third – suggesting both could yet challenge for the title this season.

Fellow Appleyard/Macadam riders Deane Brown, Kev Coghlan and Nikki Coates finished fifth, ninth and 28th respectively in the Supersport 600 race, which was cut short by the conditions.

Daniel Kinlock was 26th in the Superstock 600 race.